Synthetic Soul
by Twisted Trans-Sister
Summary: I, Robot Movieverse. Interwoven into the tragic death of Alfred is Iris Robertson; chief mechanic at US Robotics. She quickly becomes a key player in the investigation as mysterious occurrences threaten to destroy the bonds between robots and humans.
1. Mayhem

Summary: [I, Robot] Movieverse. Interwoven into the tragic death of Alfred is Iris Robertson; cheif mechanic at US Robotics. She quickly becomes a key player in the investigation as mysterious occurences threaten to destroy the bonds between robots and humans.

_____

"Doc! Doc!"

Out of place in the white suits and crisp uniforms of the rest of the people in the hall, a teen came bolting down the hall in a dingy gray jumpsuit...her only reason for not being kicked out the smudged badge bearing the US Robotics logo flapping from her neck on a loop of wire. She huffed to a stop before Alfred Lanning, who looked amused at her ungraceful running. "What's all the noise for...at this hour?" he laughed, and despite her pants of breath, Iris Robertson, cheif mechanic, could not help grinning back.

"Special congrats!" she said in excitement, "The big roll out of 'bots tomorrow remember?"

"I remember, I remember," he sighed, "Exhausted myself all last night trying to tie up the last joint operations for NASA with your uncle you know."

"He told me," she bounced in excitement, "I just got back from the factory...they got panicky when one of the machines got a little jerky."

Iris was unlike her uncle and co-founder in many ways. Most of her form declared her as being a girl of brawn, despite her intense and deep knowledge of robot functions. She never dressed too formally, understanding too many times that it was a waste to show up for work at a job that ruins most clothing. Iris wasn't cut out for absolute business or intellects...but it didn't keep her from diving head-first into her job. Earlier than anyone else, she arrived at the "shop" as she called it to fix any anomalies with NS models during testing...as well as working in joint efforts with scientists who attempted to smooth out any wrinkles in the positronic brain. Iris liked the brain for two strictly different reasons; its pleasing asthetic appearance and the physical structure and function. She never dove in any further than that.

Dr. Lanning invited her in his lab. Iris liked it; it had plenty of things to tinker with and Dr. Lanning never minded it when she fiddled with the tightening of bolts and sprucing of joints when she visited. Promptly she picked up a spare arm, whose tube-like muscles had grown slack. As she stretched the material back into place, she sat casually in a spare stool.

"What are you planning on doing tomorrow to celebrate?"

Dr. Lanning seemed to flinch slightly, leaned against the window. "Pardon?"

"To celebrate...for the NS-5 shipments?" she repeated herself, "I'm celebrating with the guys back at shop over Luici's, if Robertson's not taking you to any parties-"

"He has," Dr. Lanning sighed, "But I'm not quite sure what tomorrow will bring. Anything's possible." Iris fidgeted in her seat at the solemn tone. He was so much easier to talk to when he wasn't worrying. She set aside the newly spruced up arm, going to the window as the sun began to rise. She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Well," she began with a smile, "That's what makes it such an adventure right? We just gotta wake up and face what's coming."

"Right," Dr. Lanning lit up, patting her on the back. His hand became slightly stained with engine grease but he never minded it. "It's as the old saying goes, _A wise man, and a foolish man, each one reveals the other_."

"Yeah but at least we know who's the idiot," she grinned good naturedly. At that moment, her pager buzzed frantically, making her jump. "Oops! I gotta run! See if you can't meet us at Luici's Doc!" she yelled behind her as she hurried out the door to the elevator. She was left with his age old smile and a parting wave, and at that moment felt so reassured to see him with the rest of the mechanics at the packed little restaurant having a drink and a good time.

Only two hours and one shattered window later would she find him dead on the cold marble floor of the lobby.

_____

"The homicide detective is going to be here to ask a few questions soon," Dr. Calvin said, remaining rigid despite the murder that laid so many floors below. "Once he reviews the crime scene and holographic projector."

Iris was still throughly shaken. She'd heard the smash from the 14th floor while giving one of the prototypes one last check-up before it went back to evaluation from the scientists. She'd been unable to investigate it further until she managed to put away all her tools and put the NS-5 in stand-by mode. But the ruckus outside was quickly draining the color from her face. By the time she saw the broken window and Dr. Lanning's body smashed on the floor...she was white as a sheet. She could only nod back to Dr. Calvin.

"He...he seemed so casual..." she trembled, stuttering. Dr. Calvin didn't reply, but her face gave her true feelings away, "I could have never-"

"None of us could," Dr. Calvin reassured, "I never thought he'd do this either..."

The elevator door slid open, directing Iris and Dr. Calvin's attention. A taller black man flashed his police badge. "Detective Spooner, homicide." he introduced himself. Iris tried to shake off her distress and shook his hand, "Iris Robertson, cheif mechanic." Spooner turned to Calvin, "Dr. Calvin? Mind waiting outside a minute?" She complied, and left Spooner and Iris alone in the spare office. Iris sat back down as Spooner took a seat.

"They told me you talked to Dr. Lanning only two hours prior to his death. What were you doing in the building so early?"

Iris shrugged, "Robots don't run by themselves. I always show up first...to open shop and go over diagnostics for prototypes. Sprucing up stuff."

"What did you go see Dr. Lanning for?"

"Just to give him a thumbs up for finishing the big project," she twiddled her fingers, "I invited him to celebrate with me and the other mechanics and then left."

"Did he seem...off put...by anything?"

"A...a little..." she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck in nervousness. "When I asked him what he was doing tomorrow he kinda stuttered. Said he didn't know what was coming tomorrow." she gulped back a sob trying to force its way back up, "I...I guess he'll never know now." Spooner looked at her with slight sympathy, giving her a breif pat on the back.

"What did he last say to you?"

"He left me off with a little proverb when I tried cheering him up before I left," she sniffled, "He said;_ A wise man and a foolish man, each one reveals the other_."

"Nothing else?"

"Nothin'." Spooner sighed as he stood up, Iris quickly following suit, "What is it with that guy and all his riddles?" he grumbled. He finally headed to the door. "C'mon. I need to investigate the crime scene, and I need your help. Doctor outside is escorting."

"Calvin," Iris corrected hastily as she followed.

_____

"Laurence told me to accomodate you in anyway possible," Calvin noted in the elevator as they began their long descent to Lanning's office. Iris felt more out of place than ever; a scruffy teen mechanic in between the detective and the robot psychologist. She stood behind them, mimicking Calvin's crossed arms in an attempt to look formal.

"Really," the detective drawled unusually, raising a slightly annoyed eyebrow from Calvin. Iris fidgeted a little more, feeling slightly uncomfortable, "Okay.."

"I reviewed Dr. Lanning's psycho-profile," she continued, voice unharried, "Alfred had become a recluse, and rejected human contact for machines."

"It's true," Iris added, "I barely got to talk to him save for two hours ago...and he's almost always here."

"So you're a shrink huh?" Spooner added on, looking amused, "Man my ex-wife will sure be glad I'm talking to you," he looked curiously at Calvin. "You don't know her do you?"

"I'm..sorry are you being funny?" Calvin replied stiffly.

"I guess not," Spooner said back, a little more sober this time. Iris fidgeted. Maybe she'd been spending too much time around machines as well, because the atmosphere in the elevator just went beyond uncomfortable. The door slid open as the three of them got off onto their floor.

"So would you two say that Dr. Lanning was...suicidal?" Spooner asked.

"Not ever," Iris replied, "He worked a lot and all but he liked his work."

"It would seem the answer to that question is already apparent," Calvin answered back, eyes flickering out towards the lobby where all the traces of Dr. Lanning's death had been wiped clean. Iris shuddered; even though his dead body strewn on the ground like that had been disturbing, she was even more creeped out at how hurriedly the place seemed to want to be rid of him...like wiping him clean off a chalkboard.

"That's not what I asked you," pressed Spooner at Calvin. Iris looked uneasily at Calvin. She didn't know her well, but she came off as being a very strict, upright woman...like so many who worked at US Robotics. She was quiet for a moment, until she finally replied. "No," she said shortly, "I wouldn't have thought so. But obviously I was wrong." Spooner took this moment to look over the edge of the floor balcony. Seeing the distance he let out a whistle.

"That's a long way down," he said, "You people sure do clean up quick around here." Calvin looked over too, in slight analyzation. Spooner shrugged a little, "I can't blame you though, I mean who wants some old guy goin' bad in the lobby." Iris flinched visibly, shaking slightly from the casual sting of Spooner's statement. It flared up Calvin though as she approached him looking angry. "He was not 'some old guy', Alfred Lanning was everything here." Iris looked out the window, still pained. This morning she'd arrived as early as Lanning did, ready for a day of work. How could it have ended with him taking his own life like this?

"We are on the eve of the largest robotic distribution in history. By Saturday there will be one robot to every five humans. These robots are the realization of a dream," she added on more throughly, "Dr. Lanning's dream."

"You know what?" Spooner replied in his usual, casual, snarky attitude, "In that dream of his? I bet you he wasn't dead."

Iris twitched again as Calvin glared back at Spooner. This wasn't one of her usual days.

___

End Note: I love how snarky Will Smith is as Spooner. I TOTALLY LOVE THIS MOVIE LIKE OMG.


	2. Mystery

Summary: [I, Robot] Movieverse. Interwoven into the tragic death of Alfred is Iris Robertson; chief mechanic at US Robotics. She quickly becomes a key player in the investigation as mysterious occurrences threaten to destroy the bonds between robots and humans.

_____

They had continued to Dr. Lanning's office. Undoubtedly, Detective's Spooner's blatant and rude attitude had seriously offended Dr. Calvin. In any other situation, Iris might have been amused by it...but the situation was pertaining to the death of one of the most important men in the world...a good friend of hers. She could only fidget in distress.

"Keep twenty-four hour surveillance?" Spooner inquired.

"Obviously. Company policy."

"Where are the feeds?"

"Sensor strips," gestured Calvin to the fluorescent lights lining the halls. "Everywhere but the service areas."

"Any particular reason they're not linked up down there?"

"It's incompatible with the equipment down there," Iris explained. "The steam builds up a bit down there so it ends up fogging the lenses and making the sensors short-circut."

"The strips link to our positronic operating core," Calvin pointed to the giant positronic brain, hanging vertically from the top of the building. Iris knew it well...many times she'd climbed atop the precarious foot holds to fix various glitches. "Wow," Spooner said dully, looking at the glowing machine, "Thermostat wasn't good enough. You went and gave the building a brain."

"She was actually Lanning's first creation." Spooner made a double take at Calvin. "She? That's a she?" He couldn't help shaking his head. "Definitely need to get out more."

Calvin merely ignored him. "Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence," she read off one of the strips.

"Viki?"

At the sound of her name, the AI immediately came into view, a cool voice projected through many microscopic holograph projectors. "Good day."

"Viki designed most of Chicago's protective systems." Calvin explained.

"I have decreased traffic fatalities by 9% this year alone." Not only that, but she had also helped in the diagnostics department, kept regular updates on the effectiveness on tools and machinery used by the mechanics, and provided logical insight at the occasional board meeting. Iris was so used to seeing her image projected everywhere at once.

"Ooh thanks," Spooner said, unimpressed, "Show the inside of the lab from one minute prior to the window break." Viki faded into a screen, but when she played the security tape it came out fuzzy. Viki faded back into view, sounding apologetic. "Apologies. There appears to be data corruption." Iris and Calvin looked at each other in surprised confusion.

"From the outside of the lab from the window break until now," Spooner requested. Viki flashed the screen, the images coming up clear and in fast-forward. Guards, the board of directors, and the investigation team came in and out until they all vanished, finally showing Spooner, Calvin and Iris. Iris flushed as she became immediately aware of her scuffling walk and hunched shoulders and tried to stand up straight. Spooner pointed out Calvin, who sat straight and upright.

"Wow now see you have great posture. You stand really straight and I'm slouching."

"Would you like to go inside now?" she sighed as Viki vanished.

"Oh sure after you."

They went inside, Iris immediately looking over where the control manual was in the room. She opened the hatch and found an auto scrambler jammed into the circuit. "Dr. Lanning must have stuck this in to mess up the video surveillance." Iris pulled it out, "It looks like it hasn't been touched in weeks...how long was this in anyway?"

"Long enough for Dr. Lanning to commit suicide apparently." Calvin answered as they walked around. Iris pocketed the scrambler and put it in her pocket. She looked around. Everything looked nearly untouched...just as she'd left it when she first saw Lanning that morning. Only change was that the robotic arm she'd spruced up that morning was hanging from the ceiling, a usual indicator that Dr. Lanning needed it untouched now. She grew heavy at the sight of it hanging. Was he trying to protect her from becoming a suspect?

"So Dr...Calvin," Spooner begun as he looked around for clues, "What exactly do you do around here?"

"My general fields are advanced robotics and psychiatry," she explained, "Although I specialize in hardware to wetware interfaces, in an effort to promote USR's robotic anthropomorphozation program."

"So, what exactly do you do around here?" Spooner repeated himself. Calvin looked back at him with a frown. "I make the robots seem more human." she summarized. Iris had to hold back a chuckle. She could barely say that last word...much less spell or explain it.

"Now wasn't that easier to say?"

"Not really, no."

Iris snickered a little at that, her first smile since joining the two of them. Spooner shot back a smile at the teen. "You said you're the chief mechanic right?"

"Yup," Iris answered, "I mostly just help with test runs on the 'bots and fix stuff. Just a tinker-tot."

"What were you last doing in here when you talked with Dr. Lanning?" Calvin asked.

"Just normal stuff," Iris shuffled her feet, "He lets me spruce up some slack parts, I tightened up one of the arms-hanging up there." She pointed to the said arm.

"How can you tell that's the same arm?" Spooner asked, looking up at the hanging objects.

"Oh Dr. Lanning never sets out finished parts on the shelves and stuff." Iris waved off, "If there's a piece that's all done he hangs it up. All the broken or faulty pieces are lying around."

"Yeah but how can you tell?"

"I've been in here tons of times." Iris looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Chief mechanic remember?"

Spooner simply left to look out the broken window, observing the former crime scene from the jagged hole. It seemed so much farther down from there. Iris had to look away, fiddling with the auto scrambler in her pocket. Spooner picked up a book from a chair by the window, a worn cloth bound volume from what seemed to be the early 1900s. "Hansel and Gretel," he read, looking dubious as he handed it to Calvin, "Is that on the USR reading list?"

"Not precisely." Calvin looked it over. Then, without warning, Spooner picked up a stool and rammed it straight into the other window, leaving long, sharp cracks. Iris and Calvin yelped as they jumped back. Spooner looked grim...he hadn't broken the window. "What in God's name are you doing?" she asked angrily. Iris was still shaking, walking back. She'd felt jumpy enough with Spooner having already interrogated her. She hurried over to the other side of the room, trying to catch her breath.

"Did you know that was safety glass?" Spooner asked, all seriousness now. "Be pretty difficult for an old man to throw himself through that don't you think?" Iris looked pale at the window.

"Well he figured out a way." Spooner merely curled his lip derisively. "Uh huh."

"Detective," Calvin said more insistently as Spooner faced the dark lab again, "The room was security locked. No one came or went since early this morning you saw that yourself. Doesn't this mean this has to be suicide?"

"Yep," Spooner agreed, scanning the room closely, before pulling out his gun. "Unless the killer's still in here."

Iris couldn't help looking over the robotic models, colorless and chilled to the core. From experience and having helped build the original models, Iris knew very well the strength and capacity of the robots. One was capable of smashing ten windows together in a few short punches. "You're joking right?" Calvin looked angrily at the detective's paranoid search as he scanned the shelves. "This is ridiculous,"

"But Dr. Calvin," protested Iris. She couldn't help siding with Spooner, "Lanning was a scientist, not superman. He couldn't even chip the window if he tried. And there's no sign of explosives."

"But think of the three laws!"

"Yeah I know," Spooner scoffed, searching the shelves, "The three laws. The perfect circle of protection."

"_A robot cannot harm a human being_," Calvin recited insistently, "The First Law of robotics." Iris looked out the window. Dr. Lanning had died right in front of the wall where those familiar Three Laws were engraved. How much would they mean now?

"Yeah I know I've seen your commercials," Spooner replied, eyeing the lit up blueprints for the NS-5, "But doesn't the Second Law state that a robot has to follow any law given by a human being. What if it was given an order to kill?"

"Impossible. It would conflict with the First Law." Calvin countered.

"Right but the Third Law states that a robot can defend itself,"

"Yes but only if that action doesn't conflict with the First or Second Laws," Calvin pressed on, trying to persuade Spooner away from his accusations.

"Well you know what they say." Spooner quoted, "_Laws are made to be broken_."

"No, not these laws. They're hardwired into every robot."

"But Calvin," Iris was definitely, if not a bit irrationally, on Spooner's side. No way was Dr. Lanning the type to kill himself. "We can't rule out the possibility that Dr. Lanning didn't implant the positronic brain with those laws."

"Why wouldn't he?" she argued.

"Well he was the type to experiment wasn't he?" pleaded Iris. She was only on the other side of the room, but no amount of distance could hide her obvious distress.

"A robot can no more commit murder than a human could..." Calvin thought for a moment, "Walk on water." Spooner was busy searching through a bin, gun at the ready.

"Well there was this _one_ guy," he noted, "A long time ago-"

But he was interrupted as an NS-5, who had been hiding in the bin he'd searched, leaped out. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he jumped through the air, knocking Spooner's gun out of his hand, spare parts and wires sent flying from his jump. Calvin put her arms over her head to shield from the debris but Iris found herself incapable of movement as it landed solid in front of her, looking her right in the eye as she was pressed up against the wall. She looked blank and shocked at the NS-5, who stared at her long and hard for a moment. Iris felt her breath constrict in her throat the pure intensity of it...seeing the robot stare at her in such a way was not something she'd expected. She was interrupted by the gun skidding across the floor to tap against her feet. The robot seemed to snap out of it, looking wildly at Spooner and Calvin.

"Iris get back!" Spooner called out. "Calm down detective," Calvin said, with a dismissive gesture. "The only thing dangerous in this room is you. Deactivate."

Immediately, in a smooth, fluid motion, the NS-5 stood up straight, abandoning its defensive stance. Shakily, Iris picked up the gun, cupping it uneasily in her hands so as not to accidentally fire. "Look, its fine." reassured Calvin, gesturing to the robot, "What you're looking at is the result of clever programming, an imitation of free will it's nothing more." Iris edged around it, still looking very suspicious. Something about it's earlier gaze seemed...too human. Too full of curiosity and...maybe...fear.

"How much of an imitation you gotta do about protecting our asses?" snarled Spooner, drawing a gun from his foot holster.

"Don't be absurd," Calvin scoffed, facing him, "You were startled by a jack in the box."

However this statement was punctuated by the surprised cry of Iris, who felt herself yanked back and with the detective's spare gun pressing into the bottom of her jaw. The NS-5 inexplicably had pulled her back and grabbed her gun, and locked eye contact with Spooner as Iris gasped in horror.

"S-Spooner," she wheezed from the tight grip, her fingers attempting to pry off the robot's arm in vain.

"_Deactivate_!" commanded Calvin insistently.

"Let him go," Spooner kept up eye contact, his voice low and serious. He knew what there was to lose.

"It's not going to hurt us or her!" Calvin snapped back, "I gave you an _order_!" she then demanded at the robot. Iris could feel his hand shaking slightly as he pressed it more firmly into her chin. "He's not listenin' right now lady," Spooner said severely. "And in case you haven't noticed he's got a gun to somebody's neck right now!"

"Viki seal the lab!" ordered Calvin hurriedly, growing panicked and angered by the minute.

"No Viki leave-" But it was too late as the door slid shut behind them. The robot looked between the shut door and the window, and made his break.

He thrust Iris forcefully at Spooner and Calvin, knocking them to the ground. Keeping a firm hand atop the head of the two women, Spooner fired several shots at the NS-5 who jumped and leaped out of the way before catapulting himself out of the window. Spooner stood, and made one last shot, this one more accurate as it snapped through the corded muscle on its leg. The robot then vanished out of sight, Iris hearing a loud crack as he hit the bottom. Ears still ringing, she followed the frantic Calvin and Spooner out the door, riddled with questions, one in particular racking the insides of her brain.

_Just what was going on?_


	3. More

Summary: [I, Robot] Movieverse. Interwoven into the tragic death of Alfred is Iris Robertson; chief mechanic at US Robotics. She quickly becomes a key player in the investigation as mysterious occurrences threaten to destroy the bonds between robots and humans.

"Police!" called Spooner as he hurried down the stairs, people quick to get out of his way. Calvin and Iris followed him farther back, not as quick as the detective as they wore office shoes, or in Iris's case boots. The saw him bend over to pick up his discarded gun, an obvious trail of silver fluid leading it it. Calvin observed it from behind him as Iris bent down to survey the damage.

"Bullet tore through the rubber casing," Iris diagnosed, "Barely scratching the inner metal casing holding the lithium muscle solution. The metal casing got worn as he ran-that's why it bled late."

"Where's it going?" Spooner demanded hurriedly to Calvin, "Where?"

"It needs to repair itself." she explained reluctantly.

"At the factory," Iris nodded, "There's a repair facility there for injured 'bots. But with the amount stored away, we don't have much time. Fixing a torn ligament doesn't take much time, even if it is injured."

They left the carpool in Spooner's car, a sleek sliver 2031 model. Iris had buckled up in the back, pulling out her touch phone to look up activity from the plants. In the front, where Calvin and Spooner sat, an argument was quickly taking place.

"John, look I need back-up. I'm transmitting my location-" Spooner explained over his earpiece to the head of the S.W.A.T. captain.

"Don't need back up-" Calvin protested.

"That's nobody," Spooner argued back, irritated at having to talk to two people at once, pulling out the manual override as his steering wheel slid out. "What are you doing?" Calvin said looking aghast.

"I'm driving," gritted Spooner.

"_By hand_?"

"Do you see me on the phone?"

Iris sighed from the back, flicking from the argument up front to the small screen on her touch phone. At first the arguments had been awkward, but now they were just annoying. They sounded like a mother and son arguing over learning to drive. She felt like she was watching a corny sitcom, despite the very serious pursuit of the NS-5. She rubbed her temples as she attempted to focus on her screen, unsuccessfully trying to tune out the argument.

"You can't be serious! Not at these speeds-"

"John, please just send a back up. Thank you," Spooner pulled off his headset as he began to zoom down the underground bypass. Calvin, calm but irate, continued her attempts to argue with him.

"Alright listen detective-that robot is not going to harm anyone. There must have been unknown factors at work, but somehow, acting as it did, kept us out of harm's way-"

"**_Alert_**."

Spooner cursed loudly as he swerved out of the way of an oncoming truck, making both women cling in panic to their seats. "Ass. _Hole_!" he shouted behind him. Calvin glared back at him.

"-which is more than I can say for you." she finished. "It was a left, by the way, back there."

"You must know my ex-wife." Spooner shook his head, preparing to turn off.

"Oh! I got something!" Iris exclaimed from the back, leaning up to flash the screen, "There's activity at the repair bay on the far left side of the factory...and since it takes only a few minutes to replace and weld a ligament for robots we've got about five minutes before he's fixed up."

"And then?" Spooner asked hesitantly.

"The factory just finished today's basic build and design of the NS-5's." Iris winced slightly, "He might try to hide among the ranks...and then it's just finding a needle in a haystack."

"Not much time then," Spooner nodded. Iris sat back, but could not helping rubbing her neck in slight anxiousness. The NS-5 had dug the tips of its fingers, made specially to catch and cling onto things more securely, into her neck as he'd attempted escape before. It had left minor bruises, barely beginning to yellow from pressure. Having them there, and having that gun pressed up against her neck had been the sole most frightening thing in her life. She didn't want to have to relive it.

They finally arrived at the plant, six minutes later. After parking, Iris guided them through the enormous structure from the main office to the production line, finally arriving at the storage. "So where is everybody?" Spooner inquired.

"This entire facility was designed, built, and is operated mechanically." Calvin said, as she began her input of passwords to turn on statistics for the stored NS-5s. "There is no significant human presence from reception to production...save for occasional glitches requiring a mechanic to fix things."

"So robots building robots?" Spooner turned up his nose, "Well that's just stupid."

"I'm pulling up the statistics. Our daily finishing capacity is one thousand NS-5s. I'm showing-" she looked back at Iris in confirmation, "One thousand one."

The lights switched on, and row by row of identical robots were revealed under the buzzing lights, each in stand-by mode. Even Iris, who knew robots better than the back of her hands, couldn't tell which one was the guilty one.

"Attention NS-5s." Immediately the robots snapped to attention, the sound of their simultaneous awakening echoing through the hall. The three made their way down the ramp. "There is a robot in this formation that does not belong," Calvin said in a commanding tone, "Identify it."

"**_One of us_**," they chimed.

"Which one?"

"**_One of us_**," they repeated. It made Iris' ears ring uncomfortably. She liked robots...but only one at a time.

"How much did you say these things cost?" Spooner asked sarcastically.

"Look, these NS-5's haven't been configured yet, they're still just hardware," she explained with the edge of irritation, "Basic Three Laws operating systems, that's it. They don't know any better."

"Well...what do you suggest?" Spooner asked, calmly looking over the robots.

"Interview each one, cross-reference their responses to detect any anomalies." Calvin deduced.

"How long would that take?"

"About three weeks."

Iris looked over the robots curiously, and then frowned. "I'd ask them if they could point out the latest number in their group, but these haven't been fitted with memory chips either. I'd have to check each one for physical evidence like different ages in their parts, but that might take a while too."

"Okay," Spooner nodded, "Why don't you two get started on that?" He went on his own, facing the robots.

"Robots," he called out, "You will not move, confirm command."

"**_Command confirmed_**."

Calvin's panic resurfaced as Spooner pulled out his gun, beginning to point it one by one in the robot's face. "Whoa, detective what are you doing?" she said in harried panic, following the officer. Iris hung back, looking over them and feeling faintly queasy. Was it the recent situation, or did these robots look a lot more intimidating than usual?

"Well you said they've all been programmed with the three laws," Spooner said coldly, eyeing the robots in front of him with a stony glare. "Which means there will be one thousand robots that will not try to protect themselves if it violates a direct order from a human," He looked them over again, "and I'm betting on one who will."

"Detective put your gun down," Calvin said insistently. Iris was still quiet, squinting against the row upon row of amber eyes, seeking out a hint of blue. "Detective-" she began quietly.

"Why do you give them faces?" Spooner asked with a steely look, "Try to friendly them all up, try to make them look human?"

"These robots are not susceptible to intimidation," Calvin said in quiet anger.

"D-detective?"

"I guess if they didn't we wouldn't trust them," Spooner countered.

"These robots are USR property!"

"But not me," Spooner said in almost a growl, "These things are just lights...and _clockwork_."

And with three swift shots, Spooner fired upon one of the robots in the front row, making Iris gasp and flinch back as it's face contorted with the bullets. It almost looked real, and were it not for the sparks flickering out from its head Iris might have believed it. Calvin rushed over to its side, examining the fried, electric brain as it leaked out lithium solution. "Are you crazy?" she said in a horrified whisper.

"Let me ask you something Doc," Spooner said, resuming his walk along the robot lines, "Does thinking you're the last sane man on Earth make you crazy? 'Cause if it does," Spooner stopped in front of the row standing before Iris, "Maybe I am." He raised his gun again, holding it between unflinching yellow eyes as Iris looked beyond him

There was a flash of blue and the faintest peek from a hidden robot in the line.

"Detective!"

"_Get the hell outta here_!"

It took Iris's startled point to spur the robot into fleeing, and Spooner made chase. "Wait!" Iris yelped, chasing after him. Calvin stuttered in her footsteps before making her way into the maze of robots as well, trying to keep Iris and Spooner in sight as Iris ran behind Spooner. "Spooner wait!"

"Get back kid," he growled, not leaving his gun out of sight.

"No wait I just realized-"

"Shh!"

Calvin was calling from somewhere farther off, but everything seemed silent as a graveyard as Iris crept behind the detective. Iris looked around nervously. Blue eyes, she reminded herself, blue eyes.

But when a pair of robotic hands clamped around Spooner's shoulders she lost her concentration and screamed. The detective had no chance to act when the NS-5 threw him across the room as he slid across the smooth floor, grunting as he hit the wall. The NS-5 leapt up with the strength Iris had seen, and built, in many bots before him and landed before the stunned detective, the force of his landing crunching the concrete.

"What, _am_, I?"

Iris was now the one stunned.

The NS-5s around him very gently surrounded Spooner offering assistance as the rogue robot made off, prying open the door. Iris heard sirens and saw flashing lights from the hole in the door, hurrying to open it manually from the pad. "Come on, come on," she urged as it flashed error signs. Finally it squeaked open, and Iris peered against the lights from the police cars to see the NS-5 scaling the wall. Despite the danger, she felt the old stab of admiration for the physical prowess of the robots she'd helped build.

"_Deactivate_!"

"_Obey the command_!"

Despite the shouts from the SWAT teams the robot chose to disobey them, hasty to escape. Iris shrieked in surprise when a police helicopter made a success shot, capturing the robot in a dense alloy net. "Hold your fire!" called out someone as Iris approached carefully. Spooner and Calvin finally came out from the building, looking down on the finally captured robot. Iris saw Spooner raise his gun-

"Wait detective," Iris said, putting her hand on the gun, "If you destroy him now, we might not find out what happened to Dr. Alfred." Reluctantly, the dectective lowered the gun. Iris looked down at the NS-5, mystified. It tensed and struggled against the tight netting, going limp when he looked up against the flashing headlights of the hovering police helicopter.

"Alright, get this NS-5 to headquarters, triple guard." Spooner ordered as a pair of men carefully dragged the netted robot away. Iris watched him leave, maintaining that bizzare eye contact.

She'd never seen a robot with blue eyes before.

"Iris," Calvin came up, looking angry at her now, "What did you realize when Spooner found that robot?"

"I..." Iris gulped. She was unaccustomed to being the object of unwanted attention. "I'm not sure. Something's just off."

They returned with Spooner to headquarters. Calvin was escorted to USR to report back to her superiors of the day's incidents, leaving Spooner to drive Iris to Police HQ. Iris, now feeling safely out of severe danger, let herself succumb to her overwhelming nausea, as she tried to keep her bowels from spilling over the police car. "You alright?" Spooner asked. "Never better," Iris croaked, keeping a napkin to her mouth, "Just absolutely, overwhelming super."

"Yeah well might not be super for long," He said as he sat next to her in the car, lights flashing and sirens going off as they drove downtown, "Unfortunately you're still a suspect, for whatever reason."

"Do you," Iris shuddered and gulped, trying to unblock the lump in her throat, "Do you think the robot might be broken? I mean, I know...what these guys can do but all of them are limited by the three laws. And...well..."

"What?"

"It's what it said that got me confused. I never heard that kind of talk from any robot I've ever known."

Spooner looked back at Iris a little solemnly, before returning his eyes to the road. "First time for everything."

Under guard by over a dozen men did seem enough for Iris to do what she had to do. But if this robot was in any condition to speak and explain himself before others, she had to perform basic diagnostics.

She worked with sweaty palms and a slight shiver as she fixed scratches in the alloy from stray bullets. The NS-5 kept turning it's head to look at her, making her try fiercely to keep her own eyes on her work. But the gaze seemed to simmer on the back of her head, curious. She was unaccustomed once again. Robots weren't curious.

"Lift your right arm," she ordered carefully, keeping the shake out of her voice. The robot complied, the small buzz of working motor joints humming in her ear as she applied her tools to smooth over the dense alloy skin. Iris felt her neck ache, almost in warning. The bruises from the robot's deathly grip had begun to darken as the night drew on, a purple-blue collar now woven around her neck like a choker.

"Why are you fixing me?"

Iris's hands stumbled over her work as she steadily kept her hands on her work. He sounded curious again, and it made her wriggle uncomfortably. "You need to be in perfect, working order if you're going to be interviewed for the investigation," she explained calmly, sewing up the rubber ligaments.

"But I hurt you." he said with a noted pause.

Iris gulped. "It's my job to fix robots." she said, a little nervous. "And if anything this all might have come from an experimental anomaly in your positronic brain." Iris fidgeted with another tool as she prepared to pop a loose finger joint back into it's socket. "NS-5 lift your hand."

"Sonny,"

Iris stopped what she was doing, and for once, looked up at the robot. "Excuse me?"

"My name is Sonny."

Iris had heard of people naming their robots. Her own NS-4 had been christened as J8-K, or Jake. Some robots were cherished to a point of obsession. But hearing the robot...to hear Sonny...introduce himself, it almost seemed like Alfred's ghost had come back, introducing a prodigal son while he stood beaming on the side. She could almost see it.

"Please lift your hand Sonny."

He complied, and showed an expression that turned Iris pale with disbelief. He looked pleased.

"What on earth were you thinking?"

Iris wasn't pale anymore, but flushed with embarrassment as her uncle unmercifully lectured her in a spare interrogation room, pacing as his lawyers waited for him to address them. Iris sat in a chair, her uncle's complete opposite in her mechanic's shirt and jumpsuit in comparison to his crisp Italian threads. "I haven't done anything wrong," she defended stubbornly, "I'm only following protocol and trying to find out what happened to Alfred, which you ought to be concerned about!"

"It's a robot for godsakes Iris!" he said rumbling, running an irritated hand through his hair, "You're putting your job, and this company's reputation, on the line just because you're caught up in some paranoid has-been detective's ramblings."

"That robot isn't like the others uncle!" protested Iris as their voices grew louder, "I don't know whether or not Alfred put something in or left something out, but the point is, that robot is the only thing that can tell us what really happened when Alfred went out that window!"

"You're acting ridiculous," Robertson said sternly, pointing at her face, "And I can see what Dr. Calvin meant when she said his prejudiced paranoia caused overreactions in you. You should know better!"

"But _uncle_-"

"No _buts_ young lady," he interrupted, making her scowl as he put on a tone she recognized whenever he treated her like a child, "Now I won't be suspending you from work but put one single pinky toe out of line and I will take away your privileges as chief mechanic, you understand?"

Iris was bubbling with fury, but bit her tongue and nodded. She almost thought suspension, or even getting fired, would be worth opposing her uncle. She was forced to wait outside as Robertson smugly confronted Spooner and the chief of police. Iris could not hear the conversation, but if Spooner's enraged face was any indicator then it would appear that things were going exactly her uncle's way.

"Take care Iris," Spooner said gruffly, patting her shoulder. "We'll keep in touch."

"I'll call if something new comes up," she whispered, before scampering off. Her uncle did not see her standing by Spooner, but he frowned all the same. There was very little about his niece that made him look at her with anything but disapproval.

"You'll be working with Dr. Calvin on analyzing the NS-5 if that means anything to you," he added as they drove in a stretch limosuine to USR. "But Viki will be monitoring your work and if I so much as catch a whiff-"

"I get it."

But as she saw the tall silhouette of USR come into view she knew it wasn't over. Not for a minute.


	4. Model

"Your stop,"

The elevator rang as it stopped on the twentieth floor. Iris kept her head down to keep her scowl out of Robertson's sight. "Remember what I told you," he said in a warning tone. Iris merely sneered back at him and got off, headed to her own office. A quick scan of her thumb opened the door.

Unlike some of the more pristine offices of the other departments, Iris left a lot for wanting in terms of tidiness. She hung blueprints, notes, and holo-screens from wires woven into the ceiling, and thousands of spare parts were boxed, hanging and overflowing all over the place. An equally chaotic desk was jammed into a corner, and a wider space to the far side held seating for robot _"surgeries"_ as they were named, and tables with half-done projects. Spare jumpsuits and coats hung from a coat rack and a small bed was nestled into a corner with manuals and books pooled along with cups and plates. The janitorial squad always dreaded the hours spent to, at the very least, clean up what little they could from the Mechanical Ward.

**_"What's new pussycat? C'mon, lay it on me."_**

Iris began to snort with laughter as Jake, her personal NS-4, hummed to life as Iris entered the office. Iris, so taken with her NS-4, had not applied for an upgrade when it was offered to the staff. Jake was a personal memento of Alfred, who had helped her make it himself. Jake was almost as messy as the office, his dingy orange paint chipped in several places and his torso peppered with stickers. "I'm just working late Jake. Just looking over blueprints."

_**"Cool daddy-o. Pop a squat and kick up your feet."**_

Iris was bubbly with giggles as she worked. Jake had often been her companion in watching black-and-white films; ancient movies with gangsters, counts, vampires, and old versions of graphics. Iris collected them and spent many an hour with her faithful NS-4 as he memorized the lines and distributed them throughout her day depending on his analyzation of her mood and situation. As Iris pulled up the normal NS-5 blueprints with a holo-scan of Sonny, Jake cracked jokes, replayed favorite movie quotes until Iris finally asked him to go into hibernation mode for fear of cracking a rib. Even though Alfred had died that morning, his ghost was still existent in Jake, and Iris felt her smile coming back.

A half-hour later, as Iris compared holographic blueprints, the door slid open. It was Dr. Calvin. "Have you discovered any anomalies?"

"More physical so far," Iris replied, barely registering the psychiatrist's presence. "Denser alloys, more flexible joints...and look here. Alfred made his own set of motors for S-...for the NS-5 that makes him faster and stronger, using some of parts from an old NS-2 set...and those things were near invincible. But I didn't detect any real problems. The rest is in the realm of the positronic brain system. Did you talk to him yet?"

Calvin frowned at Iris's use of words describing Sonny, but went on. "No. I'm scheduled for a diagnostic tomorrow. Laurence said you're to attend if anything is malfunctioning in the physical state of the brain."

"I know,"

Calvin gave her a serious stare long enough to make Iris finally look guiltily back towards her. "You don't really think a robot did all this on its own do you?" Iris's expression gave her away before her reply.

"I just can't believe Alfred did it himself," Iris said miserably, shuffling her feet as she walked away towards the coat rack. She picked off a clean jumpsuit. "He was the heart and soul of every operation here...and the physical state of the crime scene leaves so many empty spaces, I don't know what to think of them." Iris stepped behind a screen while Calvin turned to allow her some privacy. "He was a very brilliant man Iris," Calvin reminded, "Even if his situation did require some help from a robot source it doesn't mean it was murder. You've read the definition, murder is only capable when a human-"

"-Is killed by another human, I know," Iris said hastily as she zipped up, stepping out from behind the screen. Her expression looked weary. "The problem is, I don't know if the NS-5 is really counted for either."

"It's just a robot," Calvin said sternly, making Iris wince as she recognized the old tone of her uncle. "And a robot cannot harm a human being."

Iris was tempted to remind Calvin of the collar of bruises left from their experience with Sonny in the lab, but she was reminded that it wasn't very smart to bait someone of Calvin's status. Especially with an uncle keeping such a close eye on her. "Laurence wants you to interview the NS-5 on his physical attributes and have a report written up by the end of the night," Calvin reminded as she opened the door. She gave a disapproving frown at Jake, who was humming _"Hit the Road Jack"_ in his sleep. "And please Iris...nothing strange."

Iris felt a twitch of irritation as Calvin left, and wonder if this is how Detective Spooner felt all the time.

The door opened to the white, white room of the Diagnostics Lab #51 and Iris, out of place in her gray jumpsuit and messy hair, entered cautiously. Sonny was fastened to an examining seat, his head bowed as he appeared to be thinking very hard about something. He immediately looked up at the uncomfortable Iris. "Good evening Miss Robertson."

"Good evening,"

Iris was unaccustomed to being called Miss Robertson, and even more disturbed by Sonny knowing her name, but she continued down to the examining pad to pull up the diagnostics entry. She could at least be reassured that no matter how much more advanced Sonny was, he couldn't get out of the chair, which could restrain the most stubborn and powerful robot on the market.

"Have you come to fix me?"

"You're already in good condition," Iris replied, taking a seat on the stool, "I'm just here to ask you why Dr. Lanning gave you your extra physical attributes."

"I was not aware that mine were any different from any others." Sonny replied, almost astounded, "I have seen so many like me."

"But they're not like you," Iris corrected, typing in Sonny's response, "Dr. Lanning apparently gave you denser alloy, more flexible joints, and more effective motors. You're far more unique than a normal NS-5."

"_Unique_," he echoed, before turning his head to Iris. "What does that mean?"

"It-it means you're one of a kind." Iris stuttered, "That there is no one else like you in the world."

Sonny was quiet, gazing at Iris. "Thank you," he replied, "For thinking me as a _'one' _and not a _'thing'_. Dr. Lanning used to think of me as a _'one'_ too." Iris's fingers hovered over the entry pad...and she almost added this. But she reminded herself, with a stab of defiance, she was supposed to document only the physical attributes of the interview. "So Dr. Lanning never told you of your enhancements?"

"No. I think he did not consider them as important."

"Did he perform any extra operations on you of any kind that you might have logged?"

"No."

"Alright," Iris input the information. Obviously Alfred had his reasons for mystery, never to be known. "Thanks. Dr. Calvin will be in here tomorrow morning for a diagnostics."

"You're sad about Dr. Lanning, aren't you?"

Iris stumbled in midstep, heart pounding and jerking painfully. This wasn't like any other diagnostic or checkup she'd ever performed. Her robots never simply asked things, they responded in accordance to codes and principles in their design. But Sonny... "Dr. Lanning was very important here. He made a lot of people sad when he died," Iris said resolutely. "And with all the joint projects we did together it's very natural I miss him too." Sonny looked very solemn at the answer. But much to Iris's discomfort...he also looked rather satisfied and pleased.

"I'm glad to know he was so appreciated," he answered.

Iris left the diagnostics lab in a fit of discomfort. Robots didn't feel glad.

Later that night as she ate a celebratory dinner with her co-workers, Iris was relieved when Detective Spooner finally called. "Iris. They told me you were on first bat for diagnostics with Sonny-"

"You know his name too?" Iris cut off in surprise.

"What? Oh right. I'm surprised you do too," he answered back, "He said his name was Sonny during the interrogation...but the thing is, USR is getting a little tight on how much more I interact with them on this case." Iris nodded. "Right. I need to talk to you anyways...something was off about my diagnostics today."

Spooner was quick to take her up on the offer, and confirmed he'd pick her up in front of the pizza place. While her fellow mechanics were loathe to see her leave, she pulled on her jacket and paid her tab, hurrying outside as Spooner's sleek, silver car pulled up. The door slid open and Iris jumped inside.

"When did he tell you his name was Sonny?" Spooner asked promptly. As expected, he was quick to find out all he could. "When I was fixing himshe answered back quickly, not even buckling in as she hurriedly explained herself. "I had to make sure it wouldn't malfuction at the police station, and he said his name was Sonny when I was fixing the injuries he got from the SWAT team." Iris paused uneasily, before asking back. "Did he...act strange during your interrogation?"

Spooner raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but seemed to be thinking on the same unsure lines Iris was. "Yeah, you can say that." he answer gruffly, "He was very expressive...he even had a bit of a snit in the room. Ruined a perfectly good table. Said some...abnormal things."

Iris shivered, and felt her bruises throb. Yeah...Sonny certainly had the potential to be expressive. Spooner looked over with concern. "Why? Was he-"

"Oh he wasn't violent." Iris quickly reassured him. "But...it wasn't like any other diagnostics I ever did." Spooner appeared anxious to inquire further, but he simply remained silent as he eyed her bruised neck from the corner of his eye. Iris finally looked around the car in mild curiousity. "Where are we going?"

"To Alfred's house," he replied, driving into a high end neighborhood. "It's possible he might have left a clue as to why he died. Just a matter of following leads." Iris nodded, fidgeting in her seat. She felt extremely restless, the simple endeavor of checking a possible lead making her feel as if she was being swarmed over by ants. Spooner looked faintly annoyed as he kept swiping glances at her, still wriggling in her seat. "Would you calm down? We're just checking out the house."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "Only...um..."

"What?" Spooner's voice became even more suspicious as he eyed her cautiously.

"Umm...my uncle...doesn't really want me getting in too deep here." she admitted with a bright flush. "He warned me that if I went outta line I'd be suspended. Technically being in the same two mile radius as you counts as misbehaving. But I-"

"Yes?"

"-I really want to know what really cause Dr. Lanning's death. I don't know if Sonny malfunctioned or if he did it himself...but I think this case is a lot deeper than just him jumping otu of a window. And that's not even beginning to describe Sonny's case." She stopped, taking a deep breath as she tried not to ramble. "He's the main suspect...and he gave me..." she fingered her bruises as she trailed off, "But despite all that he doesn't act dangerous. But he doesn't act like a robot either. And that's what makes this death all the more confusing. I know it looks like suicide," she shuddered, turning white, "But it _feels_ like murder."

Spooner was very quiet. The sound of gravel as he pulled in through the driveway seemed to be the only sound to permeate the night...and the sight of a sprawling mansion came into view.

"Maybe Calvin's right," he muttered, "Maybe my paranoia _is_ contagious."

They approached the house. Iris was very familiar with it...it was often the center of some business parties hosted by Alfred in which she'd attended at as young as six years of age. It was an expensive and lavish mansion, with a big garden and ten bedrooms and bathrooms big enough to house a small family. Of course...it wouldn't be that way for long. Already a demolition-bot was stationed for it's future job in tearing the place down. Iris shivered. Perhaps his relatives were a bit hasty in making their decision about the house, but Iris was loathe to relinquish any memorable things about her former friend.

"Demolition due 8 am tomorrow," Spooner confirmed, flashing his ID as it appeared on the screen. "Ought to give us enough time to look around."

His ID was flashed once more as he gained access to the house. After a voice greeting allowing him entry, Iris followed him inside. However, she jumped with an arm snapping onto Spooner's jacket as the door shut itself behind. Spooner was alarmed, grabbing his gun, but looked rather peeved at Iris's jumpiness. "Relax." he said irritably, "Even if you are a suspect, nothing's gonna happen so long as you're with me."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she apologized rapidly, following him up the stairs. Her hand remained hung onto his jacket, and she bit her lip anxiously. "I'm...I was always so used to working with robots. Knowing just what they're capable of is just a reminder that I did good work. But now..."

"Feels like they're about to jump out and put a gun to your head right?"

Iris shuddered, and let go. Spooner however, sensed he was a bit tactless and turned around, looking tired...yet apologetic. "You did do good work. You helped produce somethink people are going to appreciate, and feeling proud about your efforts is healthy. But you gotta realize that in the wrong hands, a good thing can turn bad. Even if it's not the creator's intention."

"Do you still think Sonny did it?"

"Yeah. And your uncle is going to have a helluva time convincing me otherwise." He scoffed, remembering the stubborn CEO. "But something still doesn't smell right about this case. I need you to remain on the inside and try to keep your ears open."

Iris nodded, still shaky, but resolute. "I will. I don't care how many toes outta line I get...I don't want Alfred's death to be brushed off like..." she trailed off, feeling she'd spoken too much. "...Well I sure as hell don't want it to be disregarded as some old man's disillusion."

"You and me both," he chuckled. Iris smiled back with eagerness, feeling accomplished at having lifted someone's spirits. The last person after all...had died two hours after she did.

Author's Note: Ha. There. Now they're going to be turned into gritty, human mush by a demo-bot in the next chapter. Only not. There will be cats though 3


End file.
